Coming to America

As we were about to arrive in Washington the Porter came to our compartment and said a gentleman would like to see us and would we follow him. Surprised, we did so and met an elderly gentleman who introduced himself as a friend of President Grant who was then President and Prophet of the Church. He said he learned that there were two LDS ladies aboard the train and thought we might like to see the Capitol building by night as we were leaving the City. It was a beautiful sight. It was flood-lit and seemed to rise from the ground as the view receded. We were in the observation car. Things like this make us realize how kind most people are. We learned from the Porter later that this gentleman was *President of the Union Pacific and other railways.

*Note: Hester doesn't mention his name, but it was probably Carl Raymond Gray who was the President of the Union Pacific at the time. The following links will provide more information about him. There is also an article with a picture of Mr. Gray with President Grant.

http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/19893370/article-Founders-Day-Celebration-at-Pipe-Spring


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Raymond_Gray

We were met in Salt Lake City by Aunt Edith Neal and Muriel's sister. I stayed with Aunt Edith for a couple of months. Aunt Edith was the second wife of my father's brother, Albert. He had passed away several years earlier. They had one son named Fred by that marriage.

            

Before we had arrived in Salt Lake City we had heard people talking about the stock market breaking. I had no earthly idea what the stock market was nor why or how it could break. But after we arrived in Salt Lake we soon found out what it meant. . . . to be continued. . . . .

Experiences in the Tobacco Factory

There is one experience which I hardly ever talk about but I think I should tell it here. About a week before I gave in my notice to leave work, the firm I worked for had closed down their Swindon Factory so the people who worked there were being absorbed into the other branches of the firm. Consequently, about a half-dozen new men were working in our room. I was then working in what is known as the "wetting down" room where the tobacco was sorted and steamed and taken to the stripping room where I had previously worked. I had liked it there much better. The first morning these men came to work a very peculiar thing happened. My friend, Paul, who was working with me said, "Don't look now, but there's a man over on the last machine who seems very interested in you. He has hardly taken his eyes off you since we came in this morning". I laughed a little and forgot the matter. About an hour later after our morning breakfast break, the little sweeper girl came up to me and said, "That man over there wants to speak to you". Thinking that this was just a joke I went over to the man to see what he wanted but as soon as I got near him for some reason I started to lose control of myself. I asked him what he wanted. He gave me a peculiar look and said, "Whatever you are about to do--don't do it or you will be sorry". I knew this man couldn't possibly know of my plans to go to America so I asked him what he meant.

He said, "You are planning on changing your life, aren't you?" I said, "Yes". "Well," he said, "don't do it". I asked him how he knew. He said an angel had appeared to him the night before and told him to give me the message. I asked him how he knew it was for me then he said the angel told him there would be a light in my forehead and he would know to whom the message was to be given. Well, I have felt the power of Satan on many occasions but the feeling that came over me then was beyond my power to describe. I could hardly walk back to my seat. When I got there Paul said, "What on earth is the matter? You look ghastly". I told her what had taken place. Immediately she said, "It is the devil". I knew it was for I had already received the go-ahead from an Apostle of the Lord and I knew then it was Satan and not really my mother who was fighting against me.

Before I leave this part of my life, perhaps I should record another incident that occurred while working in this room. Paul was working with me on the same machine. She was now a member of the church, having been baptized by my father. One night I had a very vivid dream. In my dream I was standing at my machine working as usual. Over my head was a large driving belt that controlled all the machines in the room. This belt with its wheels was oiled every day and renewed every three months so it was well taken care of. But in my dream as I was working, the belt broke and whipped around my head so suddenly that it caused me to cry out and I awoke from my dream and couldn't go back to sleep.

The next day as I was working in that same spot, I thought of my dream. I started to tell Paul about it but she couldn't hear me above the din. So I left my work and went around to her side of the machine and related to her all that had occurred in my dream. I had just finished when suddenly there was a loud slashing noise and a sudden silence. The men came running, expecting to find me seriously hurt or perhaps dead. Had I not gone around to the other side of the machine [to tell Paul my dream] I wouldn't be here writing this history.

They afterwards put a safety cage underneath the belt to prevent such a thing from happening again. I know that the Lord was watching over me. I could relate so many things that have occurred in my life that makes me wonder if I had been chosen out of my lineage to do the work for my kindred dead and they have been privileged to watch over me until this work is accomplished.

This is a picture of the inside of a tobacco factory at a little later time than Hester would have been working there. The machine she was working may or may not have been like one of these, but you can see that these machines could have been dangerous to be around and how fatal accidents could happen in this kind of environment. 

Although Father wasn't pleased about me working in a tobacco factory, and I wasn't either, when I talked to Apostle James E. Talmage about it he said, "Don't worry about it. There is probably someone there you will be directed to who will receive the Gospel", and there was. Paul became a member, also her sister, Emma, and a girl named Mabel Howe and her fiancée, Fred Underdown, and I told countless numbers about the Church who perhaps someday may hear it again and accept it.

Deciding to Leave England

Ernest Joseph

In the spring of 1929 Ernest [Joseph] wrote and asked me how much I lacked in the amount I needed for my fare to come to America. He offered to loan me whatever amount I needed. I talked it over with my father. He, too, offered to loan me a part of my fare, so as far as finances were concerned, the way was opened up, but I hesitated. Here I was, over thirty years of age. My father's sight was failing (he had lost the sight of one eye at 9 years of age from small pox). I knew that when Mother found out what I proposed to do all Hell would break loose. I wasn't sure I could take any more agony, and could I find work at the age I was?

I wrote to Apostle Widstoe for counsel. He was President of the European Mission then and knew of our problems. Several days later I received a letter from him through the Elders (Mother often read and destroyed my mail). He said he had fasted and prayed about the situation. The answer was to follow my father's advice and leave. You have endured enough, he said, the Lord will take care of your father. The Church Authorities were counseling the Saints at that time to stay in their own countries and build up the church, so I was surprised and pleased with the answer. It's a good thing I couldn't foresee the days ahead or I would never have had the courage to go through with it.

Elder John A. Widtsoe (1872-1952)

The first thing Mother did when she found out from me what I intended to do was to go to the Matron of the factory where I was working and tell her the Mormons had persuaded me to go to Utah to become a plural wife. She also wrote the same story to the newspapers, then to the American Consul in Southampton telling him I had TB. It was a terrible and humiliating experience and I couldn't begin to tell all the things that took place at that time. Mother would prepare our meals most of the time, then shut herself in her bedroom and refuse to talk to us. I loved my Mother, she was a good woman. I know that she loved my Father and me but I know that Satan took possession of her to try to destroy us.

There were bright spots, however, that brought a little peace and consolation. The neighbors would stop me in the street and put their arms around me and ask if there was anything they could do for me. The girls I worked with when they knew of my plans came and wished me well, even some of the men who before had ridiculed me came and told me how much they admired my courage in standing up for the things I believed in. They had parties for me and I received many lovely gifts. The Saints were very kind and did all they could to help me.

On my birthday, October 13, 1929, which was Sunday, I was asked to speak in sacrament meeting. I was to leave on the Tuesday following for Liverpool, October 15, 1929. I tried to talk to Mother before I left but she locked herself in her room and wouldn't see me. It made me feel sad to have to leave her like this. Dad and Bob came to the station to see me off to Liverpool. The Saints and Elders were there and some of the people I worked with. It was quite heartbreaking to leave Dad and Bob. (Bob was my sister, Annie's son. I will tell of him later). But I felt saddest of all for the lonely soul I had left at home alone. 
My friend, Paul, accompanied me on my journey to Liverpool. I was so glad of her company. We were met at Liverpool by Elders Richard L. Evans (Secretary of European Mission) and Fred G. Pack who took us to the ship. President Widstoe was there with an 18 year old girl who was to be my traveling companion to Salt Lake City. They all stayed aboard until the signal was given to leave. Then the band started to play, "God be With You 'til we Meet Again". With tear-bleared eyes we watched the space between us and the shore widen and the waving figures on the shore became specks in the distance. We went to the State Room which was brightened with flowers and fruit and magazines, gifts from the office staff and President and Sister Widstoe. Thus began our journey to Zion. There won't be room to tell all the details of the journey but I was seasick all the way and was glad to see land. There used to be a tradition among Captains of ships that if a Mormon sailed with the ship it would reach port safely so the ship's captains always welcomed Mormons aboard. We were treated with great kindness.